Swansea snubbed by van Gaal as crisis grows

Swansea's search for a successor to the sacked Paul Clement has already hit a major stumbling block, after a string of high-profile candidates ruled themselves out of contention to take over the Premier League's bottom club.

Swansea's search for a successor to the sacked Paul Clement has already hit a major stumbling block, after a string of high-profile candidates ruled themselves out of contention to take over the Premier League's bottom club.

The Welsh side are looking for their fifth manager in the last two years after the Liberty Stadium strugglers parted company with Clement late on Wednesday evening.

An initial approach to former Man United boss Louis van Gaal saw the veteran Dutchman turn down a return to England's top-flight.

Swansea chairman Huw Jenkins approached Van Gaal, hoping to persuade the 66-year-old to aid the club's survival bid, but talks between the two parties never made it past the initial stage, while Ryan Giggs and Ronald Koeman - who is likely to take over the vacant Netherlands job - are both uninterested in a move to South Wales.

It is understood Tony Pulis is not on the shortlist, meaning 35-year-old player-coach Leon Britton - who has been at Swansea for the last 15 years - is caretaker for tomorrow's crunch relegation battle with Crystal Palace.

"People used to speak of Swansea as a model football club," said Britton.

"It's been disappointing we've had so many managers in such a short space of time and we need to try and get the club back on track and settle down.

"Moving forward we have to get a manager in place and get some stability back. It is not the right time for me to take the job on a permanent basis. I will always help the club, but I am not looking at the full-time role."